Schostakowitsch

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Subject according curriculum

Musical analysis

Teachers

Prof. Volkhardt Preuss

Scope

Fridays, 9.00-10.30

Room

BP 11

Duration

1.5 Semesterwochenstunden

Description

2025 marks the 50th anniversary of Dmitri Shostakovich's death. This should be reason enough to take a closer look at key aspects of his work during the long winter semester. Hardly any other composer's work is so closely linked to his own biography and the political and social catastrophes of his time. His music can be understood as the artistic transformation of his fears and the lifelong depression that manifested itself from them. The question will be which compositional techniques and stylistic devices we encounter in his music. The categories of "formalism", "alienation" and "rigor" will play an important role here. We will perceive the forms of his anagram "D-S-C-H", as well as the passacaglia, a central form for Shostakovich - but also the grotesque dances that permeate his symphonies and which go back to early expressionist silent films.

Literature

List of works:
Prelude and Fugue in A minor and C major for piano
Film music for "The New Babylon" by Kosintsev/Trauberg (link below)
"A Lady Macbeth from Msenzk" op. 29, 4th act, ending (Catherine's monologue), 1st version
1st Violin Concerto in A minor op. 99, 3rd movement (Passacaglia)
Symphony No. 8 in C minor op. 65, 3rd and 4th movements
Piano Trio in E minor op. 67, 1st and 2nd movements
15th Symphony in A major, op. 141, 1st movement and Passacsaglia
10th Symphony in E minor, op. 93, 1st movement, Allegretto and Finale
14th Symphony op. 135, "O Delwik" and "Death of a Poet"
8th String Quartet in C minor, op. 110
Sonata for viola and piano op. 147

Literature:
Solomon Volkow, The Memoirs of Dmitri Shostakovich, List, Munich 2003,
Elizabeth Wilson, Shostakovich - A Life Remembered, Princeton University Press, Princeton 1995
Julian Barnes, The Noise of Time, Kniepenheuer and Wisch, 2017

Film:
"Close-up: Shostakovich" (https://youtu.be/kyLj6qN2ouA)
"The New Babylon" (https://youtu.be/cyOhcTuFYe0)

Credits

2 Creditpoints

Modules

Musiktheoretisch-/wissenschaftliches Modul 1, Musiktheoretisch-/wissenschaftliches Modul 2, Musiktheoretisches/Musikwissenschaftliches Wahlmodul Instrumental, Wahlmodul freie Wahl (alle Studiengänge)